Avoid RideNow Jacksonville at All Costs – My $100K Yamaha Boat Is Unsafe and Practically UselessI normally don’t post stuff like this, but after everything my family and I have gone through, I feel obligated to warn others. If you’re thinking about buying a boat or any powersports equipment from RideNow Jacksonville, do not. Here's what happened to us:Timeline of the Disaster:July 20, 2025 – I purchased a brand new Yamaha boat from RideNow Jacksonville. First time on the water in St. Augustine, it wouldn’t go over 3mph. It was dead in the water on day one. I had to get towed in. No offer from RideNow for safe return, help, or even an apology—just “bring it back to the dealer.”They kept the boat for 7 months. I barely got any updates. They just ghosted me.When I finally got the boat back, they forgot to return my trailer. I asked several times and they denied having it. Turns out—it was in their yard the whole time. Not even an apology.We planned a family trip to the Keys, thinking surely it was good to go now. On the drive down, the wakeboard tower literally fell off the boat on the highway. The dealer never installed two critical bolts. Just totally negligent.I called RideNow—they never called back. One time I was on hold for 23 minutes, and then someone just hung up on me. I’m not exaggerating.Took it to a Yamaha dealer in the Keys—they said multiple bolts were missing and couldn’t fix it because they’re dealer-specific parts. I had to buy random bolts from Home Depot just to stabilize the tower (which was still unusable).We tried dropping the boat in again. The steering didn’t work at all—I couldn’t even turn the wheel. Another tow. Dealer down there said the steering cables were never lubed and are now basically shot.After all that, we finally got it moving. We took it out 15 miles offshore with our four kids to snorkel... and the port motor died. We were stranded at sea and had to get towed back again.Now I have a $100,000 boat that has less than 5 hours on it and is completely unreliable and unsafe. The dealership refuses to take responsibility. The manager won’t take my calls, the employees are rude and accusatory, and I’ve been offered zero resolution.TL;DR:Bought a new boatBroke on first useHeld by dealer for 7 monthsTower fell off due to missing boltsSteering cables never servicedStranded offshore with kidsTreated like garbage by RideNow staffI’ve filed complaints and may take legal action, but in the meantime—buyer beware. RideNow’s negligence and customer service have been a nightmare from start to finish.Happy to provide more details or documentation if anyone’s considering shopping there. Don't make the mistake I did.
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